State Department

7 results arranged by date

In the past, donors and groups providing security to
journalists in less-developed nations tended to export a Western,
military-style of training designed for a war-time environment. But the danger of
covering combat is one thing. Being fired upon by a motorcycle-riding assassin
is another--as is being sexually
molested in a crowd, discovering a video camera in one's bedroom, or having
one's phone calls intercepted. And then there is emotional toll of losing
dear colleagues, and wondering whether you or your family will be next.

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On Thursday, the United States rolled back
prohibitions against American companies doing business in Burma. The
announcement marked the latest diplomatic reward given to President Thein
Sein's quasi-civilian government for initiating reforms in what has
historically been a military-run country. In making the announcement, U.S.
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said the democratic changes initiated so far
were "irreversible," but that is a characterization few of the country's
journalists would share.

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The
State Department released its annual Country Reports on Human Rights this week.
In preparing this year's reports, Foggy Bottom had to comply for the first time
with the Daniel Pearl Freedom of the Press Act. Signed into law in May 2010,
the Pearl Act requires descriptions, identifications, and assessments of press freedom conditions, including whether "severe violations" have
occurred and "whether government authorities" have been complicit in
press freedom violations. As I note in a blog in TheHill.com,
though, the State Department's first attempt falls short, providing too little context
and assessment.

April 15, 2011 5:23 PM ET

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International Institutions Fail To Defend Press Freedom

by Joel Simon

UNESCO is the primary entity within the United Nations dedicated to the defense of press freedom. Yet in 2010, journalism and human rights organizations were forced to launch an international campaign to stop UNESCO from presenting a prize honoring one of Africa's most notorious press freedom abusers.

Richard C. Holbrooke, "one of the giants of American foreign
policy" in President Barack Obama's words, was also an ally of press freedom and
a good friend to CPJ. In a statement marking Holbrooke's
death at age 69, Chairman Paul E. Steiger said: "CPJ mourns the passing of
Ambassador Richard C. Holbrooke. He was a champion of human rights and a great
friend to press freedom. Our thoughts are with his family, especially his
widow, CPJ board member and former chair, Kati Marton."

December 14, 2010 2:15 PM ET

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New York, December 10, 2010--The Committee to Protect Journalists condemns harassment of the Lebanese news website Al-Akhbar after it published U.S. diplomatic cables that were first disclosed by WikiLeaks. The website was hacked this week by unknown attackers, while the Tunisian government blocked domestic access to the site. Saudi officials blocked access to the independent website Elaph, which also published some of the cables.

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Dear Secretary Clinton: We are writing to express our deep concern about the U.S. State Department’s denial of a visa that would enable prominent Colombian journalist Hollman Morris to participate in a Nieman Fellowship at Harvard University. The denial, based on a “terrorist activities” provision of the Patriot Act, is unsupported by any available evidence and may be based on misleading or inaccurate information provided by Colombian authorities.